I've taken random snapshots recently. Here they are!
Walking home
Gotta love water-proof jackets! (I do have
an umbrella. I can't remember if I was too
lazy to get it out, or didn't have it with me
at that time;)
Making berry pie with Sveta. We ate it with ice-cream.
Sveta, Mckall,& Lauren with our pie
Walking to the head teachers apartment.
I love my scarf that I got in Estonia.
Part of my walk
Posing in front of a Buddhist temple. Went inside and showed
up just in time for a service. As the monk guys
were chanting and singing, people were praying
around us. The atmosphere was colorful. The music
was foreign and loud (loved the drums.) And I must say...
I did not feel like I was in Russia!
Lauren teaching our older kids at Private 1
Private 1 kids on their way to recess
Vlad and Matvey, from Level 1
Level 1 drawing (puppets)
Private 1 kids having fun
Maxim, Deema, & Motivey
Sight-seeing yesterday (Nov 23rd)
On "Lion Bridge"
St Nicholas Cathedral
St Isaac's, my favorite
Sveta and I dancing and being silly
"The Bronze Horseman"
The outside of Mariinsky Theater, the most famous
ballet theater in St Petersburg
A mini replica of the inside of Mariinsky theater
(funny that it looks so real)
A part of town
Let's see....what else have I done recently... well, there's the most obvious: teaching! I've been having more fun with teaching. I think it's because it is coming more naturally to me now. I don't have to "think" so much about, so I have more time to be silly and have fun. I am also seeing improvements in the kids English, which is great.
The fact that my time here is quickly winding down has been on my mind. I am going to miss this place.
Today us girls went to a market in town. It turns out that it was inside a hotel. There were stands of different "countries", and they had food and other things that related to their culture. Other stands had things like crafts and Christmas decorations. I bought some ornaments.
And here I am. Just about to prep for my class tomorrow morning. This week will be my last week in November. Crazy.
You may be wondering about Thanksgiving. Us girls will not be celebrating on Thursday, but on Sunday (Dec 1st) instead (when none of us have to teach.) We will try to whip up the best American-style Thanksgiving meal that we can. Other items on our schedule will include lounging in our pj's, decorating the head teachers apartment with Christmas decorations, and watching Christmas movies. I'm sure it will be a fine day. And a post on it will probably follow soon afterwards. :)
Love always,
Maegan
Ahhh......what a great thing to wake up to today! I'm so surprised that the weather there hasn't been more cold and snowy!! Hopefully it will be a bit of that before you leave in a few weeks, just so you can experience it! You know I can't wait to see all of your pictures! Love you!
ReplyDeleteDear Maegan, you mentioned buying some Christmas Decorations at a market in a hotel. Do the Russian people celebrate Christmas with a Christmas tree and believe in the birth of Jesus Christ? Did you and the girls have a nice Thanksgiving meal? Were you able to make stuffing from scratch. Grandpa and I stayed at home this year and had a nice pot roast meal. Love, Grandma Rogers
ReplyDeleteRussia is a just like any other country, full of different denominations. While here, I've been inside Russian orthodox churches, a Buddhist temple, and the LDS branch. But then there's some people, like my host family, who are atheist. So I can't really tell you who believes in Jesus Christ and who doesn't.
ReplyDeleteAs far as celebrating Christmas goes, "Father Christmas" is said to live in Finland, which borders us. They are very festive here and have tons of Christmas decorations in the stores. Lights and decorations are hung up out on the streets to. My host families haven't decorated for Christmas yet, but I'm sure that they celebrate it like most people do with a Christmas tree. :)